The Arizona sentinel., 1887-02-19
A YOUNG HERO.
History of the Work of Hiram Dudley Buck
 in the Saving of Human Lives.

History of the Work of Hiram Dudley Buck
 in the Saving of Human Lives.
 In the long and honorable roll of those who have saved the lives of others at the imminent risk of their own. it is doubtful if you will find an- other record to match that of young Hiram Dudley Buck. There are men whose occupations give them peculiar opportunities for imperiliHg their own lives for those of their fellow men; and there are women too-for who can for get the noble work of the English Grace Darling and her American coun- terpart, Ida Lewis?-whose names have been added to the roll of honor while they have been yet young; but seldom, if ever, has it been given to a lad to save four persons from death by drown ing, before completing his sixteenth year, as has been the case with the sub ject of this sketch.
 Hiram Dudley Buck was born at Grown Point, Essex County, New York, in 1868. It was when he was only ten years old that he was called upon to perform the first of the brave deeds which are to be recorded here. His sister Fife, girl few years older than himself, was bathing in Putnam s creek, near their home in Essex County, in company with some friends. In order to keep afioat in deep water she had fastened a rubber life-preserver under her arms, and this treacherous aid slipped from its place, and, becoming entangled with her feet, threw her head under water. Dudley, the ten year-old boy, was attracted from dis tance by the frantic cries of his sister s playmates, and running up, he plunged into the deep water, and despite the drowning girls greater size and weight, succeeded in bringing her ashore.
 The following summer Dudley and a number of young friends were fishing off high dam at Crown Point Centre. A careless action on the part of one of the boys threw Freddie B. into the seething waters below the dam; and though there were perhaps dozen boys present, only one of them had the cour- age to leap in to Freddie's assistance. As soon as he realized his friends peril for he knew that the boy could not swim-Dudley unhesitatingly sprang into the water, caught the struggling boy as he rose to the surface, and at length brought him ashore, though not until his strength was almost ex- hausted.
 In August, 1884, a party of young people were bathing in SchrOon Lake, among whom were Sam and Kate Rand Dudley Buck. Sam could swim a little, but his sister was more daring than prudent, and declaring that she could go where her brother went, she followed him into deep water. In a few moments she was in distress, and clutching Sam, who had turned to as- sist her, she dragged him down with her. Dudley was resting on the bank, but as soon as he saw the peril his friends were in be dived after them, and found them actually at the bottom of the lake. With great difficulty he disengaged the girls arms from her brothers neck, and brought the two to the surface. Kate's instinct of self-preservation, which but for Dudley had drowned both her brother and herself, now endangered the life of their gallant rescuer, and it was only with extreme difficulty that Dudley could control her sufficiently to bring himself and her safely into shallow water.
 Such acts of gallantry as have been here recited, all performed by lad un- der sixteen years of age, are worthy of whatever public recognition it is in the power of a grateful government to bestow. It is pleasant, therefore, to be able to record the fact that the Con- gress of the United States of America has awarded to young Dudley Buck its silver life-saving medal. The silver medal which Dudley thus re- ceived is the highest honor that the Government can bestOw, the gold medal provided for under the acts Ot Congress being awarded only for say ing life in saltwater. The medal awarded is of sterling silver, and about twice the size of a silver dollar. Hiram Dudley Buck wears another meda which he must value highly. It is { five-pointed star surrounded by { wreath, all in solid gold, and bears thi: inscription: ''Life-saving medal pre- sented to Hiram Dudley Buck fol heroism in rescuing from drowning Effie-Fred- -Sam-Kate. "
 It was presented to him by the fouI